BIOS

Man arrested by police probing pipeline blasts

Police probing the bombings of two pipelines near Dawson Creek, B.C. have reportedly arrested a man in Alberta.

Two explosions targeted pipelines operated by EnCana near the B.C.-Alberta border in recent weeks.

The RCMP has said the blasts are not being considered acts of terrorism, but were instead acts of violence.

However, the RCMP has brought in the terrorism unit to help with the investigation, since the bombings targeted the province's infrastructure.

Ian Lloyd Gladue, 21, of Kelly Lake was arrested last week in Alberta on five outstanding warrants for charges not related to the bombing.

Gladue is currently in custody in Dawson Creek.

At the time of his arrest, Gladue was wanted for fail to comply with conditions and two counts of obstructing a police officer out of Chetwynd, and one count each of sexual assault and uttering threats out of Kelly Lake.

He will not be making a public court appearance until Monday morning.

The first pipeline to be targeted did not rupture. But a second explosion at a different section caused a small leak which was quickly contained, according to EnCana.

The lines that were targeted carry sour gas -- a substance that carries a trace amount of hydrogen sulphide, which is toxic and can be lethal.

Investigators have been probing whether there is a link between the explosions and a suspicious letter that was sent to local media just prior to the first blast.

The letter told the companies to cease natural gas production and leave the area. However, there was no specific threat contained in the letter.

"We will no longer negotiate with terrorists which you are as you keep endangering our families with crazy expansion of deadly gas wells in our home lands," said the anonymous letter.

Police had said they believed the people responsible for the blasts were local.